Latest news with #LandInformationNewZealand
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
David Seymour Lashes Officials After LINZ Becomes Latest Agency Raising Concerns About His Regulatory Standards Bill
Another government agency is warning the costs to comply with the Regulatory Standards Bill could be "significant", and hinder the government's ability to acquire land for infrastructure projects and public works. Documents show Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) officials issued the warning to the Ministry of Regulation in March after it asked for feedback. Regulation Minister David Seymour has hit back at the criticisms, blasting officials for not prioritising New Zealanders' rights, saying it's proof the bill is needed. Earlier, RNZ revealed Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment officials raised fears the bill could be much more expensive than previous estimates, and could lead to business uncertainty, slowing economic growth. LINZ, which has a key role in managing Crown land, land title systems and regulatory frameworks that govern land use and access, said the "overly rigid emphasis" on property interests could affect the government's ability to acquire land for infrastructure or public good projects. It also worried it would create "legal barriers for returning land to iwi" under Treaty of Waitangi settlements, according to feedback obtained by environmental activist group Greenpeace under the Official Information Act. "While strong property rights are important, an overly rigid emphasis on property rights may conflict with broader regulatory objectives, including the Government's ability to acquire land for infrastructure or public good projects," officials wrote. "The potential cost and resource implications to comply with the new requirements could be significant, depending on the guidance issued by the Minister," it told the ministry. LINZ also warned the bill could limit the ability to respond quickly to emergencies, such as natural or climate-related disasters. The agency declined to be interviewed or answer further questions about the concerns it raised. It did not give any details about the extra costs it might face. Officials 'see rights as an inconvenience' - Seymour Regulation Minister David Seymour said LINZ's comments were "worrying." "LINZ do important work, including administering the Public Works Act, which they well know already requires compensation for taking people's land. That makes their comments surprising, and worrying," Seymour said in a statement to RNZ. "At their heart, they see New Zealanders' rights as an inconvenience, when they are supposed to be public servants. "The comments they have made further prove the need for the Regulatory Standards Bill. Public Servants should not see respecting people's rights as an inconvenience, it is one of their duties." Seymour said ministers could "ignore the bill" in a crisis or emergency situation, while Treaty Settlement Bills were also exempt from consideration under the bill. Officials criticisms of the bill were proof it was needed, he said. "One thing that is becoming clear from some government departments' criticisms of the bill is that they don't take New Zealanders' rights seriously, seeming to see them as a nuisance that stops them making rules and going home early. Public servant attitudes to our basic rights, as shown in some of their comments, are another good reason why we need the Regulatory Standards Bill." 'Stark warning' about a 'dangerous bill' Greenpeace said LINZ's comments were a "stark warning", especially as flood-hit Tasman faces a huge clean up after three storm events in recent weeks. Infrastructure was urgently needed to prepare for, and recover from climate disasters, said spokesperson Gen Toop. "Things like flood protection, transport and communication links, and renewable energy," she said. "The Regulatory Standards Bill is dangerous. It would tie the Government's hands at the very moment when urgent climate action and disaster preparation are needed most. "This new warning is yet another nail in the coffin for this doomed bill. It has attracted blistering criticism from the United Nations, legal experts, health professionals, Māori leaders, environmental groups, and the public service itself," said Toop. Several government agencies have sounded warnings about the bill, including the Treasury which predicted the it could "adversely impact the cost and speed of government infrastructure projects and public works in the future." According to the Ministry for Regulation, the proposed Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) seeks to "establish a benchmark for good legislation" by introducing a set of principles of "responsible regulation". Essentially, the bill creates a set of rules that all lawmakers must consider in regulation design. The law would also set up a Regulatory Standards Board, which would respond to concerns raised around the consistency of regulation. Appointed by the Regulation Minister, the board would be able to make non-binding recommendations, much like the Waitangi Tribunal. The bill is currently with the finance and expenditure committee, which is expected to report back in November. If it passed into law, it would likely take effect at the start of next year.
Scoop
26-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Council Decides Road Names For Old SH1 Through Kāpiti
Kāpiti Coast District Council has agreed the names it wants for five sections of the old State Highway 1 in Kāpiti following its revocation to a local road. Mayor Janet Holborow said Council took on board strong community feedback in favour of staying with names that have been in local usage for many decades, though some names are still subject to approval from Land Information New Zealand. "Local residents were firm in their view that some of the names are in common use, and in their opposition to any change," says Mayor Holborow. "After further conversations with mana whenua and feedback from residents, we recognised that a lot had changed since the original offering of historic Māori names." From Poplar Avenue to Kāpiti Road, Council are proposing Main Road South. Main Road North was agreed from the end of Rimutaka Street to the Waikanae River. Names such as 'Main Road', or variations of it, are not generally acceptable under the naming conventions used by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), the agency responsible for gazetting road names. "For these two stretches of road, the names may not be acceptable to LINZ. Should they not be approved by LINZ, Council has approved the names Hokowhitu and Southward Drive as alternatives," says Mayor Holborow. The name 'Hokowhitu' honours the local men who served in the Māori Pioneer Battalion, Te Hokowhitu a Tū, in World War One. 'Southward Drive' recognises the contribution of Len Southward to the community and was put forward by the Southward family during the initial consultation, with strong community support. The road through Waikanae town will remain Main Road, with Council proposing extending the road name north to Peka Peka. Main Road is the existing gazetted name through Waikanae, so isn't subject to LINZ approval, but the extension will require confirmation by them. Main Road was the preferred option from the Community Board and wider community. The Hadfield Road connection will become Horrobin Road after one of the early farming families in the district. This was the name favoured by the Community Board, and Horrobin descendants presented in favour of the name to both to the Waikanae Community Board and Council. The renaming process began in 2016 and despite extensive community consultation at the time, no decision was made. A working group consisting of mana whenua and local historians had suggested names honouring Māori individuals and history for each of the old state highway sections in 2016. Mayor Holborow thanked the group for offering 'beautiful names that honoured tipuna (ancestors) and the history of the land'. She said the process following the offer of the names was unacceptable and must not happen again. "I'm still very saddened by how our process got us to this place, but we will continue to look at ways of honouring these tipuna in our district.' The Council also approved a motion for council officers to review its road naming and renaming policy in consultation with mana whenua. 'This has been difficult to navigate but we needed to make a decision and move forward,' Mayor Holborow said. For renaming, the road was divided into sections as it allows most properties to keep the same street numbers. 'If we adopted one name for the entire length of the road, almost everyone living along it would have had to renumber their property,' Mayor Holborow said. The original section 1 (Paekākāriki to MacKay's Crossing) is staying part of the state highway. This means it continues to be managed by NZTA and doesn't need renaming. Section 7 from Peka Peka to Ōtaki is still being upgraded and will be renamed when it too is handed over to the Council to manage as a local road. Mayor Holborow said NZTA covered most of the costs associated with renaming the road as part of the revocation agreement. Council will now publicly notify its intention to rename the roads and will work with LINZ, affected property owners, and emergency services to ensure there is a smooth transition to the gazetted road names, Mayor Holborow said.
Scoop
23-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Overseas Investment Decisions Twice As Fast
Associate Minister of Finance Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged to see overseas investment decisions being made twice as fast following his Ministerial directive letter (the letter) to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). 'Last year I issued a Ministerial directive letter setting out my expectations for faster consent processing timeframes under the Overseas Investment Act (the Act),' Mr Seymour says. 'The letter set my expectation that LINZ, the regulator for the Act, will process 80 per cent of consent applications in half the statutory timeframes for decisions. 'The financial year beginning 1 July 2024 is on track to meet my expectations. So far, LINZ has been processing 88 per cent of consent applications in half the statutory timeframe. 'Since this financial year began, processing times have reduced by 39 per cent faster than the previous financial year. The average timeframe has reduced from 71 working days in the last financial year, to 28 working days this financial year. 'The improvements to processing times are largely owed to the new risk-based approach LINZ take to verifying information and streamlining consent processes. This recognises that the majority of consent applications are low-risk and should be processed more efficiently. '1 July 2024 to 19 June 2025 saw 122 applications for overseas investment, decreasing from 146 in the financial year prior (both figures exclude 'only home to live in' applications). The decrease is explained by a significant drop in applications for residential land development due to poor property market conditions. I expect these numbers to bounce back with the rise of the property market. 'In order to have a strong growing economy New Zealand needs to be more welcoming to investment. Long waiting times for applications was creating uncertainty and impacting the attractiveness of investing in New Zealand. This affected New Zealand businesses that rely on overseas investment for capital or for liquidity. 'Since delegating most decision-making to LINZ and directing officials to focus on realising the benefits of overseas investment, there has been a significant improvement in processing times. 'Feedback from investors has been overwhelmingly positive, and they have welcomed the changes to make the application process more efficient, while still giving the right level of scrutiny to high-risk transactions. 'LINZ still has the full statutory timeframe to process 20 per cent of consent applications, which will allow them to manage complex and higher-risk applications. 'This week will see the first reading of thee Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill as well. 'The Bill will consolidate and simplify the screening process for less sensitive assets, introducing a modified national interest test that will enable the regulator to triage low-risk transactions, replacing the existing benefit to New Zealand test and investor test. If a national interest risk is identified, the regulator and relevant Minister will have a range of tools to manage this, including through imposing conditions or blocking the transaction. The current screening requirements will stay in place for investments in farmland and fishing quota. 'New Zealand has been turning away opportunities for growth for too long. Having one of the most restrictive overseas investment regimes in the OECD means we've paid the price in lost opportunities, lower productivity, and stagnant wages. This Bill is about reversing that. 'For all investments aside from residential land, farmland and fishing quota, decisions must be made in 15 days, unless the application could be contrary to New Zealand's national interest. In contrast, the current timeframe in the Regulations for the benefit test is 70 days, and the average time taken for decisions to be made is 30 days for this test,' says Mr Seymour. 'International investment is critical to ensuring economic growth. It provides access to capital and technology that grows New Zealand businesses, enhances productivity, and supports high paying jobs.
Scoop
19-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Largest Maritime Navigation System Upgrade In Decades
Associate Minister for Transport The Government is making New Zealand more attractive to international shipping lines with the first major investment in navigation services in more than 30 years. Land Information Minister Chris Penk says the $28.6 million Budget 2025 funding secures the future of shipping, tourism and the maritime economy – highlighting the Government's commitment to back economic growth. "The investment enables safer and faster access to New Zealand's ports, keeping trade flowing smoothly and reliably and provides confidence in shipping. This is key as more than 99 percent of our imports and exports move by sea. "Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and Maritime New Zealand are working together to create high-tech digital navigation tools based on the global S-100 standard. These tools will make navigation more precise, helping ships save fuel and cut costs while operating in our waters. 'The initiative will transform how mariners access and use data such as electronic charts, water levels, ocean surface currents and navigational warnings.' Associate Transport Minister James Meager says the investment benefits both economic growth and maritime safety. 'Modern digital maritime data and services will enable freight-efficient, environmentally responsible shipping routes that boost trade and investment across the Pacific. 'The investment in high-tech infrastructure ensures our maritime and tourism sectors are ready to thrive, while enhancing safety and efficiency. 'Importantly, it positions New Zealand at the forefront of the shift to digital navigation technology, and signals to the world that we're serious about supporting innovation, sustainabilitty and welfare at sea. 'Beyond New Zealand's coastline, this initiative supports safer, more efficient shipping across our wider maritime region – including Antarctica and South-West Pacific nations such as the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, and Tokelau. 'As we celebrate Matariki and reflect on New Zealand's rich cultural history of navigating by the stars, now is the perfect time to look ahead toward building a resilient maritime economy for future generations.'
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Low rate of freedom camping leads to bylaw being dropped
PHOTO: ALLIED PRESS FILES There will be no targeted bylaw to control freedom camping in Central Otago after the council was told the number of complaints received did not warrant one and the problem was more perceived than actual. A decision on whether or not to develop a freedom camping bylaw had been deferred by the council for two consecutive years, as elected members adopted a wait-and-see approach in response to new nationwide rules. Now, the mayor and councillors have directed staff to consider a bylaw under the Reserves Act instead and work on this is expected in early 2026. Council group manager of community experience David Scoones said the council also had other powers to deal to any problem camping behaviour, including the ability under the Freedom Camping Act to fine people stopping overnight not in self-contained vehicles. Over two summers, staff had monitored complaints received related to freedom camping in the district. Between November 2023 and March 2024, there were 15 related service requests and between November 2024 and March 2025, 13. However, only a handful of them were related to the council's land. In a report before the decision, staff said, "it is doubtful that the number of freedom camping issues encountered would meet the test to determine that a bylaw is the most appropriate way of addressing the perceived problem". However, at the meeting Mr Scoones admitted Lake Dunstan, with a number of designated free overnight camping spots on its shores, had a reputation of being one of the "noisiest" lakes in New Zealand, according to Land Information New Zealand. The council will need to return a $110,000 government grant from 2022, tagged for the development of a freedom camping bylaw.
